Two New XPS Laptops Released By Dell, One Upgradeable to Ultrabook Status

Two New XPS Laptops Released By Dell, One Upgradeable to Ultrabook Status

Dell recently debuted two new laptops that are part of the company’s XPS lineup. The new devices include a 14″ clamshell laptop that can be configured as an Ultrabook and a high-powered 15.6″ device as well. In addition to that, these laptops feature an aluminum casing, edge-to-edge display with hardened Corning Glass, backlit chiclet keyboards and multigesture touchpads.

These devices share some specs, including USB 3.0 ports, miniDisplayPort, HDMI out, 3-in-1 media card reader and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. Also, both devices have come with an Ethernet port, though Dell says that the laptops are too thin to offer a full Ethernet option. To remedy this Dell included a hinged Ethernet port that expands to fit a cable whenever you open it.

The standard configuration for the XPS 14 includes a 14″ WLED display with 1,600 x 900 resolution, dual-core 2.6 GHz Ivy Bridge Core i5-3317U, Intel HD Graphics 4000, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 802.11 a/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. Storage options include a 500GB hard drive with 32GB mSATA SSD or a 512GB SSD. The SSD options qualify the XPS 14 as an Ultrabook that is said to have an 8 to 11 hour battery life depending on the setup.

Not included in the XPS 14 is an optical drive. Dell left this out to save on space with the device measuring only 0.81 inches thick. However, the device is still a little weighty given its thinness. Overall weight for the XPS 14 has come in at 4.6 lbs.